Try to imagine a car going at the modest speed of 20mph hitting a pedestrian.

Try to imagine a car going at the modest speed of 20mph hitting a pedestrian.

There is a sickening blow to the legs, the person is thrown in the air and their head or upper body smacks down on the bonnet.

And below the sheet of steel is the solid engine which makes it like tumbling on to a block of concrete.

The person going through this might be your young son or elderly gran, hit by a vehicle in a moment of distraction.

Drivers will hopefully by now have noticed "kill your speed" signs in urban areas all over the country. The vast majority slow to a sensible speed in built-up areas but many forget 20mph can be a killer.

Now car makers are being encouraged by the European Commission to create soft landings for struck pedestrians, and Ford has announced a breakthrough.

A Ford Focus with pop-up bonnet is being tested and the feature should be available on cars you can buy within five years.

Sensors detect contact with a pedestrian and activate gas injectors which raise the bonnet by an important few inches.

The bonnet does not move in a bump with another vehicle and the device is automatically switched off when the car is parked.

Ford has also wrapped the bumpers of the experimental Focus in foam and fitted an undertray designed to support the legs of the pedestrian.

This reduces impact forces and lessens the risk of serious leg or knee injuries. The headlamp will also be pushed back into the car to avoid glass breaking.